{"success":true,"version":"v1","request":{"tool":"get_calculator_schema","calculator_id":"commute-cost"},"result":{"entity_type":"calculator","id":"commute-cost","calculator_id":"commute-cost","canonical_url":"https://tttkmbb.com/everyday/commute-cost","name":"Commute Cost Calculator","title":"Commute Cost Calculator – Annual Cost of Driving to Work vs Public Transport","category":"everyday","category_name":"Everyday Life","tool_name":"calculate_commute_cost","featured_mcp_tool":false,"description":"Computes the yearly distance, fuel volume and cost, maintenance, parking and toll cost of a car commute from the one-way distance, commuting days and weeks, fuel consumption and prices, then gives the cost per day, week, month and kilometre, the hours spent driving and a comparison with a public-transport fare.","use_when":"You want the yearly, monthly or per-day cost of commuting by car, the cost per kilometre, or a comparison with a season ticket or daily fare.","do_not_use_when":"You need the fuel cost of a single trip (use fuel-cost), full ownership cost including depreciation, insurance and financing (add those separately), or CO₂ emissions (use carbon-footprint-driving).","inputs":[{"name":"one_way_distance_km","label":"One-way distance","type":"number","unit":"km","required":true,"max":1000,"exclusive_min":0,"description":"Distance from home to work, one way.","example":20},{"name":"days_per_week","label":"Commuting days per week","type":"number","unit":"days","required":false,"default":5,"max":7,"exclusive_min":0,"description":"Days per week you drive to work (e.g. 3 for a hybrid schedule).","example":5},{"name":"weeks_per_year","label":"Commuting weeks per year","type":"number","unit":"weeks","required":false,"default":48,"max":52,"exclusive_min":0,"description":"Weeks per year you commute (52 minus holidays and leave).","example":48},{"name":"fuel_consumption_l_per_100km","label":"Fuel consumption","type":"number","unit":"L/100 km","required":false,"default":7,"max":50,"exclusive_min":0,"description":"Average consumption in litres per 100 km (for an EV enter kWh/100 km here and the price per kWh as the fuel price).","example":7},{"name":"fuel_price_per_liter","label":"Fuel price","type":"number","unit":"per L","required":true,"min":0,"max":100,"description":"Price per litre of fuel (or per kWh for an EV), in your currency.","example":1.8},{"name":"maintenance_cost_per_km","label":"Maintenance, tyres and repairs","type":"number","unit":"per km","required":false,"default":0.05,"min":0,"max":10,"description":"Wear cost per km; AAA's 2023 Your Driving Costs puts maintenance, repair and tyres near 10 US cents per mile (≈ 0.06 per km) for a new car.","example":0.05},{"name":"parking_per_day","label":"Parking per day","type":"number","required":false,"default":0,"min":0,"max":1000,"description":"Parking cost per commuting day.","example":0},{"name":"tolls_per_day","label":"Tolls per day","type":"number","required":false,"default":0,"min":0,"max":1000,"description":"Road tolls or congestion charges per commuting day, both directions.","example":0},{"name":"average_speed_km_h","label":"Average speed","type":"number","unit":"km/h","required":false,"max":200,"exclusive_min":0,"description":"Average door-to-door speed, to estimate the time spent commuting.","example":40},{"name":"public_transport_per_day","label":"Public transport per day","type":"number","required":false,"min":0,"max":1000,"description":"Return fare per commuting day (or a season ticket divided by commuting days) for comparison.","example":6}],"outputs":[{"name":"annual_distance_km","label":"Distance per year","type":"number","unit":"km","decimals":0,"description":"2 × one_way_distance_km × days_per_week × weeks_per_year."},{"name":"commuting_days_per_year","label":"Commuting days per year","type":"number","unit":"days","decimals":0,"description":"days_per_week × weeks_per_year."},{"name":"fuel_liters_per_year","label":"Fuel per year","type":"number","unit":"L","decimals":1,"description":"annual_distance_km × fuel_consumption_l_per_100km / 100."},{"name":"fuel_cost_per_year","label":"Fuel cost per year","type":"number","decimals":2,"description":"fuel_liters_per_year × fuel_price_per_liter."},{"name":"maintenance_per_year","label":"Maintenance per year","type":"number","decimals":2,"description":"annual_distance_km × maintenance_cost_per_km."},{"name":"parking_tolls_per_year","label":"Parking and tolls per year","type":"number","decimals":2,"description":"(parking_per_day + tolls_per_day) × commuting days."},{"name":"total_annual_cost","label":"Total per year","type":"number","decimals":2,"description":"Fuel + maintenance + parking and tolls."},{"name":"cost_per_day","label":"Cost per commuting day","type":"number","decimals":2,"description":"total_annual_cost / commuting days."},{"name":"cost_per_week","label":"Cost per week","type":"number","decimals":2,"description":"total_annual_cost / weeks_per_year."},{"name":"cost_per_month","label":"Cost per month","type":"number","decimals":2,"description":"total_annual_cost / 12."},{"name":"cost_per_km","label":"Cost per km","type":"number","decimals":3,"description":"total_annual_cost / annual_distance_km."},{"name":"hours_per_year","label":"Hours driving per year","type":"number","unit":"h","decimals":1,"description":"annual_distance_km / average_speed_km_h (when a speed is given)."},{"name":"minutes_per_day","label":"Driving time per day","type":"number","unit":"min","decimals":0,"description":"Round-trip driving time per commuting day (when a speed is given)."},{"name":"public_transport_annual_cost","label":"Public transport per year","type":"number","decimals":2,"description":"public_transport_per_day × commuting days (when given)."},{"name":"annual_difference","label":"Car minus public transport","type":"number","decimals":2,"description":"total_annual_cost − public_transport_annual_cost; positive means the car costs more (when given)."}],"input_schema":{"type":"object","properties":{"one_way_distance_km":{"description":"Distance from home to work, one way. Unit: km.","type":"number","maximum":1000,"exclusiveMinimum":0,"examples":[20],"x-unit":"km"},"days_per_week":{"description":"Days per week you drive to work (e.g. 3 for a hybrid schedule). Unit: days.","type":"number","maximum":7,"exclusiveMinimum":0,"default":5,"examples":[5],"x-unit":"days"},"weeks_per_year":{"description":"Weeks per year you commute (52 minus holidays and leave). Unit: weeks.","type":"number","maximum":52,"exclusiveMinimum":0,"default":48,"examples":[48],"x-unit":"weeks"},"fuel_consumption_l_per_100km":{"description":"Average consumption in litres per 100 km (for an EV enter kWh/100 km here and the price per kWh as the fuel price). Unit: L/100 km.","type":"number","maximum":50,"exclusiveMinimum":0,"default":7,"examples":[7],"x-unit":"L/100 km"},"fuel_price_per_liter":{"description":"Price per litre of fuel (or per kWh for an EV), in your currency. Unit: per L.","type":"number","minimum":0,"maximum":100,"examples":[1.8],"x-unit":"per L"},"maintenance_cost_per_km":{"description":"Wear cost per km; AAA's 2023 Your Driving Costs puts maintenance, repair and tyres near 10 US cents per mile (≈ 0.06 per km) for a new car. Unit: per km.","type":"number","minimum":0,"maximum":10,"default":0.05,"examples":[0.05],"x-unit":"per km"},"parking_per_day":{"description":"Parking cost per commuting day.","type":"number","minimum":0,"maximum":1000,"default":0,"examples":[0]},"tolls_per_day":{"description":"Road tolls or congestion charges per commuting day, both directions.","type":"number","minimum":0,"maximum":1000,"default":0,"examples":[0]},"average_speed_km_h":{"description":"Average door-to-door speed, to estimate the time spent commuting. Unit: km/h.","type":"number","maximum":200,"exclusiveMinimum":0,"examples":[40],"x-unit":"km/h"},"public_transport_per_day":{"description":"Return fare per commuting day (or a season ticket divided by commuting days) for comparison.","type":"number","minimum":0,"maximum":1000,"examples":[6]}},"additionalProperties":false,"required":["one_way_distance_km","fuel_price_per_liter"]},"output_schema":{"type":"object","properties":{"annual_distance_km":{"description":"2 × one_way_distance_km × days_per_week × weeks_per_year. Unit: km.","type":"number","x-unit":"km"},"commuting_days_per_year":{"description":"days_per_week × weeks_per_year. Unit: days.","type":"number","x-unit":"days"},"fuel_liters_per_year":{"description":"annual_distance_km × fuel_consumption_l_per_100km / 100. Unit: L.","type":"number","x-unit":"L"},"fuel_cost_per_year":{"description":"fuel_liters_per_year × fuel_price_per_liter.","type":"number"},"maintenance_per_year":{"description":"annual_distance_km × maintenance_cost_per_km.","type":"number"},"parking_tolls_per_year":{"description":"(parking_per_day + tolls_per_day) × commuting days.","type":"number"},"total_annual_cost":{"description":"Fuel + maintenance + parking and tolls.","type":"number"},"cost_per_day":{"description":"total_annual_cost / commuting days.","type":"number"},"cost_per_week":{"description":"total_annual_cost / weeks_per_year.","type":"number"},"cost_per_month":{"description":"total_annual_cost / 12.","type":"number"},"cost_per_km":{"description":"total_annual_cost / annual_distance_km.","type":"number"},"hours_per_year":{"description":"annual_distance_km / average_speed_km_h (when a speed is given). Unit: h.","type":"number","x-unit":"h"},"minutes_per_day":{"description":"Round-trip driving time per commuting day (when a speed is given). Unit: min.","type":"number","x-unit":"min"},"public_transport_annual_cost":{"description":"public_transport_per_day × commuting days (when given).","type":"number"},"annual_difference":{"description":"total_annual_cost − public_transport_annual_cost; positive means the car costs more (when given).","type":"number"}}},"formula":"annual_distance_km = 2 × one_way_distance_km × days_per_week × weeks_per_year; fuel_liters = annual_distance_km × consumption / 100; fuel_cost = fuel_liters × price; maintenance = annual_distance_km × maintenance_cost_per_km; parking_tolls = (parking_per_day + tolls_per_day) × days_per_week × weeks_per_year; total = fuel_cost + maintenance + parking_tolls; cost_per_day = total / commuting days; cost_per_month = total / 12; cost_per_km = total / annual_distance_km; hours_per_year = annual_distance_km / average_speed_km_h; annual_difference = total − public_transport_per_day × commuting days","method":"Only variable, distance-dependent costs and daily fees are counted; depreciation, insurance, tax and financing continue whether or not the car is used for commuting and are excluded (AAA's Your Driving Costs 2023 puts total ownership near 0.80 US$ per mile for a new car driven 15,000 miles a year). Fuel consumption should be the real-world commuting figure, which is typically 10–20 % above the type-approval value.","sources":[{"name":"AAA – Your Driving Costs (annual study of per-mile ownership and operating costs)","url":"https://exchange.aaa.com/automotive/aaas-your-driving-costs/","type":"reference","retrieved_at":"2026-09-24"},{"name":"Commuting (Wikipedia)","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commuting","type":"reference","retrieved_at":"2026-09-24"}],"freshness":{"type":"static","max_age_seconds":null,"note":"Deterministic formula with fixed constants; results never go stale. Inputs supplied by the caller determine the output."},"examples":[{"name":"20 km each way, 5 days, 48 weeks, 7 L/100 km at 1.80","inputs":{"one_way_distance_km":20,"days_per_week":5,"weeks_per_year":48,"fuel_consumption_l_per_100km":7,"fuel_price_per_liter":1.8,"maintenance_cost_per_km":0.05},"expected":{"annual_distance_km":9600,"fuel_liters_per_year":672,"fuel_cost_per_year":1209.6,"maintenance_per_year":480,"parking_tolls_per_year":0,"total_annual_cost":1689.6,"cost_per_day":7.04,"cost_per_week":35.2,"cost_per_month":140.8,"cost_per_km":0.176},"url":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/commute-cost?one_way_distance_km=20&days_per_week=5&weeks_per_year=48&fuel_consumption_l_per_100km=7&fuel_price_per_liter=1.8&maintenance_cost_per_km=0.05"},{"name":"Same commute with 8 parking + 2 tolls per day, 40 km/h, transit 6 per day","inputs":{"one_way_distance_km":20,"fuel_price_per_liter":1.8,"parking_per_day":8,"tolls_per_day":2,"average_speed_km_h":40,"public_transport_per_day":6},"expected":{"parking_tolls_per_year":2400,"total_annual_cost":4089.6,"cost_per_day":17.04,"hours_per_year":240,"minutes_per_day":60,"public_transport_annual_cost":1440,"annual_difference":2649.6},"url":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/commute-cost?one_way_distance_km=20&fuel_price_per_liter=1.8&parking_per_day=8&tolls_per_day=2&average_speed_km_h=40&public_transport_per_day=6"}],"faq":[{"q":"Should I include depreciation and insurance?","a":"Not here: they are fixed costs of owning the car. Include them only if giving up the car entirely is the alternative; AAA's figures for a new car put them at more than half of the total cost per mile."},{"q":"How do I use this for an electric car?","a":"Enter the consumption in kWh per 100 km as fuel_consumption_l_per_100km and the electricity price per kWh as fuel_price_per_liter; the litre labels then read as kWh."},{"q":"What maintenance cost per km is realistic?","a":"AAA's 2023 study averages about 10 US cents per mile (≈ 0.06 per km) for maintenance, repairs and tyres on a new car; older cars or premium brands can be double that."}],"tags":["commute cost calculator","cost of driving to work","commuting cost per month","car vs public transport cost","fuel cost per year"],"related":[{"calculator_id":"fuel-cost","reason":"Fuel cost of a single trip."},{"calculator_id":"carbon-footprint-driving","reason":"CO₂ emissions of the same annual distance."},{"calculator_id":"electricity-cost","reason":"Cost of charging an EV at home."}],"links":{"html":"https://tttkmbb.com/everyday/commute-cost","markdown":"https://tttkmbb.com/everyday/commute-cost.md","json":"https://tttkmbb.com/everyday/commute-cost.json","api":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/commute-cost","schema":"https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculators/commute-cost","openapi":"https://tttkmbb.com/openapi.json","mcp":"https://tttkmbb.com/mcp"},"version":"v1","updated_at":"2026-09-24"},"timestamp":"2026-09-24T03:46:13Z","next_actions":[{"tool":"run_calculator","calculator_id":"commute-cost","reason":"Run Commute Cost Calculator with the inputs above."}],"links":{"markdown":"https://tttkmbb.com/everyday/commute-cost.md"}}